Nonspecific psychological distress, psychosocial stressors and delusional psychosis. A comparison with psychiatrically symptom free surgical controls.

The purpose of the study was to examine patients with delusional psychosis regarding characteristic personality traits as illustrated by nonspecific psychological distress, and psychosocial stress prior to onset of the psychosis. The design of the study was a comparison of first-admitted psychiatric patients with delusional psychosis and psychiatrically symptom free surgical controls. Patients with delusional psychosis reported significantly more psychosocial stress than controls during the 3 months prior to admission. They also reported significantly higher mean values than controls on the subscales named poor self-esteem, helplessness-hopelessness, dread, sadness, anxiety and approval of rule breaking on the schedule of nonspecific psychological distress. In discriminating patients with delusional psychosis and surgical controls, approval of rule breaking, helplessness-hopelessness, and severity of psychosocial stressors were the most informative variables. Patients with delusional psychosis will be followed up in order to analyze if nonspecific psychological distress and psychosocial stressors are of importance for the prediction of the course and the outcome.